Price from:
85 USD
Learn and practice kayak rescues!
**Fully booked? Give us a call to get on the waitlist!**
Duration
3 Hours
About
Getting back into a kayak after a capsize might be more difficult than you expect — especially if you’ve never learned how to do it. That’s why it's so important to learn some techniques that enable you to rescue yourself and fellow paddlers if someone accidentally flips over. Hypothermia sets in quickly on the Maine coast, and even in ideal conditions re-entering a kayak from the water takes skill, experience and, in some cases, special equipment.
This course will give you a chance to learn and practice some of the most tried and true kayak rescues. Your instructor will do their best to customize the course to meet with each student's goals and interests. You will be in and out of the water throughout the session, so plan to get wet!
Portland Paddle (and most sea kayaking outfitters in North America) will require you to have the skills taught in this course before letting you rent a sea kayak for use on open coastal waters.
What You'll Learn
- How to perform an assisted capsize recovery, including a “T-Rescue”
- How to perform a solo capsize recovery
- Alternative methods of re-entering a capsized kayak
- Other crucial considerations for dealing with capsizes (hypothermia, group management, equipment failures, etc.)
Prerequisites
- Prior experience paddling a sea kayak
- Prior experience performing a “wet exit” (capsizing a kayak and exiting the boat)
What's Provided
- Kayak and other paddling equipment, including paddle floats and bilge pumps
- Wetsuit (please use your own if you have one)
Booking Notes
#We are looking forward to seeing you!
##Important Information
**WHEN & WHERE TO ARRIVE:** Please arrive ten minutes before your lesson is scheduled to start. You will see our signs at the end of Cutter Street by the East End Beach. Use the map above to find us or view the directions on our website.
**WHAT TO BRING**
- Water Bottle
- Footwear that can get wet
- Light Jacket (not cotton)
- Sun Protection
- Synthetic (non-cotton) clothing which is comfortable for paddling and swimming.
- A wetsuit Portland Paddle can loan out wetsuits if needed.
- Dry change of clothes and extra layers for warming up after your lesson
**WHAT TO WEAR:**
You will be immersing yourself in the cool waters of Casco Bay, so it is important you dress appropriately. We provide you a wetsuit at no additional cost. Please bring additional non-cotton layers as well. We can also provide neoprene shoes for you to use if you do not have your own warm footwear.
**PARKING:** There is free all-day parking in the lot halfway down the hill on Cutter Street about 50 yards from Portland Paddle. When that lot is full you can find free parking on streets in the residential neighborhoods nearby. The parking spaces right beside Portland Paddle are limited to 5 minutes or two hours and some are reserved for vehicles with boat trailers.
**BATHROOM FACILITIES:** There are public bathrooms and changing rooms that are open during limited hours. We have our own private portable toilet for customers. Most of the islands we visit do not have bathroom facilities, so it’s best to use the facilities before heading onto the water. If you need to go during your trip the best option is to find a relatively private spot along a shoreline.
Cancellation Policy
If you cancel one of our regularly-scheduled tours or lessons, or a rental booking…
- More than 48 hours in advance: You will receive a full refund.
- Between 2 hours and 48 hours in advance: You will receive a 50% refund.
- Less than 2 hours in advance: You will not receive a refund, and we cannot apply any amount paid to booking on another date.
If you need to reduce the number of people in your group within 48 hours of your booking we will reduce your total booking amount by 50% of the cost of each person that is being removed from the booking.
WEATHER
We will offer the option of a full refund if we decide to cancel your booking due to weather conditions. We usually do not cancel tours due to overcast skies, cool temperatures or scattered showers, but we do cancel when winds are too strong, when there is steady, heavy rain, or when sustained thunderstorms appear likely.
Please keep in mind that the weather along the Maine coast is unpredictable and quick-to-change. Forecasts made several days in advance are very frequently inaccurate, and it is very common for a single summer day to include several hours of ideal conditions and several hours of very poor conditions.
